MARKET SHARE
THE BRANDING RULE BOOK
Yamini Sequeira makes the case for urgency in branding in a world of crowded messaging
Innovative local marketers have demonstrated how successful branding can take their products far beyond the island’s shores, as evidenced by several internationally recognised tea and apparel brands. Yet, many other sectors remain largely unbranded, essentially exporting value without capturing it.
When it comes to a small economy with limited scale, strong branding offers a viable route to create global impact and command premiums.
Destination branding too has continued to constrain Sri Lanka’s tourism potential. A clear branding strategy for the country and its key export sectors is critical to strengthening our global positioning.
However, it’s important to differentiate between branding and marketing, and to caution leading marketers. Too often, businesses move directly into promotional activity without establishing a clear identity.
And marketing without branding lacks direction and impact because that’s what defines the core. Branding clarifies who you are, whom you serve and why you matter, while marketing simply communicates those attributes.
Experts contend that this distinction is critical for stakeholders across tourism and other industries and sectors. Any destination or business must first determine what it stands for, whom it’s targeting and what distinct experience or value it offers.
As advertising guru David Ogilvy has argued, branding is fundamentally about reputation. It’s built on honesty, reliability and consistent delivery of promises. It requires differentiation, emotional connection and a clear personality shaped by everything from product design to communication style. Above all, he says it is a long-term strategic asset that drives trust, loyalty and competitive advantage.
Without doubt, local businesses are operating in a market that’s becoming more competitive by the day; and in such an environment, branding is central to how companies differentiate, scale and sustain value.
After all, brand equity influences purchase decisions as much as product quality, particularly in a local context where economic volatility has made consumers more value conscious. Therefore, the challenge for businesses is to build emotional connections with their customers.
The father of modern marketing Philip Kotler says: “I see a lot of brand decay, partly because many brands seem to have a sameness of offer and pricing terms. Brands have got to get better at differentiation.”
“Some brands ought to lock into a specific customer problem so they are the only brand really talking about that aspect of a customer’s life. Marketing is best when it is need orientated, when it is really solving a customer problem,” he adds.
Sri Lanka already offers a few compelling examples of what can be achieved.
Apparel manufacturers have evolved from contract producers to builders of internationally recognised ethical and sustainable brands.
Brand owners, like several globally reputed Sri Lankan tea brands, command premium pricing, loyalty and market influence. This distinction underscores the importance of moving up the value chain through branding.
In the FMCG space, local brands have demonstrated an ability to compete effectively with multinational players in the local arena by leveraging cultural relevance, authenticity and agility.
Some local beverages continue to command strong loyalty despite the presence of multinational corporations. Their success isn’t built on scale or marketing spend but on emotional connections and deep cultural resonance. These brands are embedded in local identity and consumption habits, and offer familiarity and trust that global brands often struggle to replicate. Storytelling plays a central role in their success by allowing them to differentiate in crowded markets.
Despite its importance, branding remains underdeveloped across many Sri Lankan businesses, given the tendency to prioritise short-term sales over long-term brand investment.
Marketing budgets are often treated as discretionary, and result in inconsistent messaging and weak brand recall. And in difficult times, marketing budgets are more often than not the first to be slashed.
To give credit where it is due, local businesses face a distinct mix of constraints shaped by economic realities. Pressure on margins and cash flows have reinforced reliance on promotions and price competition rather than strategic positioning or investment in branding.
Many firms remain trapped in low value segments as they export commodities or undifferentiated products without capturing premium value. Capability gaps in brand strategy, storytelling and digital engagement also limit competitiveness.
Yet, the opportunity is compelling for brand building by leveraging on cultural insights and responding quickly to market shifts. Competing solely on price isn’t sustainable, particularly in an import dependent economy.
Therefore, the real opportunity lies in building differentiated brand identities that resonate deeply with consumers.
Moreover, the international demand is shifting towards authenticity, sustainability and purpose driven brands. And Sri Lanka is well positioned to capitalise on these trends – particularly in areas such as ethical sourcing, eco-friendly production and social responsibility. If effectively communicated, these attributes can command premium positioning.
Digital platforms amplify this opportunity by lowering barriers to entry and enabling direct access to global audiences. Of course, digital transformation presents its own challenges, and requires continuous content creation and responsiveness.
Many organisations lack the internal capabilities to execute this effectively. Digital platforms, advanced analytics and AI now provide the capacity to decode consumer behaviour across markets with far greater precision.
A branding veteran adds that a brand is shaped by customer perceptions rather than internal intent, so it must be built on what genuinely resonates with potential buyers. Clarity and focus are essential, as trying to be everything to everyone weakens a brand’s positioning.
He adds that differentiation is critical for brands to stand out in crowded markets and employees must embody the brand to make it credible. Communication should be simple and memorable, and brands must adapt over time without losing their core identity.
Maverick entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson notes: “The key thing is never to do anything which discredits the brand such as ripping off the public or doing something which you would feel uncomfortable reading about.”
He continues: “Branding demands commitment to continual reinvention, which strike chords with people, and stir their emotions and commitment to imagination. It’s easy to be cynical about such things but much harder to be successful.”
Alongside corporate branding, personal branding is coming to the fore. In a digital-first world, individuals are often as influential as the organisations they represent. Therefore, leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals are now at the forefront of their brands.
Personal branding shapes how stakeholders perceive not only the individual but also the company. In sectors such as technology, services and entrepreneurship, a strong personal brand can significantly influence business outcomes. Founders and executives who actively build their personal brands can humanise their organisations, enhance trust and drive engagement.
A cardinal rule for success in this realm is that personal branding can’t be manufactured; it must be grounded in genuine expertise and consistent communication.
It’s evident that branding has become a strategic necessity in a market that’s becoming more competitive and interconnected.
The transition from product centric thinking to brand centric strategy will determine which local companies achieve branding success. And stakes are higher for Sri Lanka because a strong brand strategy for the country and its key industries can help capture value and reduce economic vulnerability.
Branding determines how your story is told; and more importantly, who controls it.
After all, with international branding successes such as Pure Ceylon Tea and Pure Ceylon Cinnamon, it’s time for other sectors to adopt the carpe diem philosophy when it comes to branding.
